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721st Air Mobility Operations Group
|type= Airlift Support |size= |current_commander= |garrison= |battles= |decorations=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) }} The 721st Air Mobility Operations Group is a United States Air Force (USAF) unit assigned to the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. History Viet Nam War The group was initially activated as the 608th Military Airlift Support Squadron during the Vietnam War at Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam in 1966.Abstract, Program Action Directive: Activation of 608th MASS (accessed 24 Oct 2012) It replaced the 1512th Support Squadron (Transport) and assumed the 1512th's mission, personnel, and equipment.Although the 1512th is a separate unit, the orders activating the 608th stated it was entitled to continue the 1512th's history because the change in unit was merely intended to replace a unit controlled by Military Air Transport Service with one controlled by Hq, USAF. However, the 1512th was only active for eighteen days. The squadron managed the strategic aerial port facilities at Cam Ranh BayThe tactical (or in-country) aerial port facilities were managed by the 14th Aerial Port Squadron from 1966 until the closure and withdrawal of the USAF in 1972.Abstract, History of 61st Mil Alft Spt Wg, Apr-Jun 1972 (accessed 24 Oct 2012) Air Mobility Support in Germany The squadron was reactivated in 1977 to operate the Military Airlift Command (MAC) aerial port at Ramstein Air Base. It serviced transient C-5 Galaxy and C-141 Starlifter transports at Ramstein, loading and unloading cargo and also received airlifted equipment and personnel for United States Army Europe (USAREUR) forces units in Germany. In August 1983, the squadron expanded to group size and was assigned separate aerial port and maintenance squadrons to carry out its mission. It was also assigned its first flying squadron, the 58th Military Airlift Squadron (MAS), which was assigned from the 322d Airlift Division.AFHRA Factsheet, 58th Airlift Squadron (accessed 24 Oct 2012) The assumption of the airlift mission was reflected when the group was redesignated the 608th Military Airlift Group. The 10th MAS at Zweibrücken Air Base which operated C-23 Sherpa transports in support of USAFE's European Distribution System (EDS) was also reassigned from the 322d Airlift Division in 1984.AFHRA Factsheet, 10th Airlift Squadron (accessed 24 Oct 2012) The EDS was organized to give units in Europe a quicker way to receive small equipment items or supplies on a round-the-clock basis, without the expense of the larger cargo aircraft. The group also supported Special Air Transportation of HQ USAFE executives with a fleet of light transport. The 10th MAS was inactivated in 1991. in 1992, USAF embarked on a major reorganization of its Major Commands. In this reorganization, theater airlift was reassigned from the inactivating MAC. The host 86th Fighter Wing at Ramstein became the 86th Wing and the 58th MAS was redesignated the 58th Airlift Squadron and assigned to the wing's 86th Operations Group. The 608th's mission became strategic airlift support once again as it was redesignated the 608th Airlift Support Group of Air Mobility Command (AMC). However, its mission expanded to include support for all of Europe and it was assigned squadrons at Torrejon AB, Spain, and RAF Mildenhall, England. In recognition of its responsibility to support not only airlift, but the air refueling mission of AMC, it became the 621st Air Mobility Support Group in 1994 and was renumbered the because USAF policy required subordinate support units numbers to reflect their parent organization's number and the group was assigned to Twenty-First Air Force. It became the 721st Air Mobility Operations Group in 2001. The group's Detachment 5 was located at Balad Air Base with a mission to recover and launch AMC aircraft transiting Balad, minimizing ground time to reduce exposure to enemy attacks,SRA Croxon, James, Aviation Pros: Balad's Mission Begins with Strategic Airlift, Jan 8, 2007 (accessed 24 Oct 2012) In 2008, AMC activated the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing at Ramstein. The 521st assumed the theater air mobilty support mission and the squadrons of the 721st located away from Ramstein were reassigned to it, Lineage * Constituted as 608th Military Airlift Support Squadron on 27 December 1965 : Activated on 8 January 1966 : Inactivated on 30 April 1972. * Activated on 1 July 1977 : Redesignated 608th Military Airlift Support Group on 1 August 1983 : Redesignated 608th Military Airlift Group ca. 15 March 1984 : Redesignated 608th Airlift Support Group on 1 June 1992 : Redesignated 621st Air Mobility Support Group on 1 July 1994 : Redesignated 721st Air Mobility Operations Group on 15 March 2001 Assignments * 61st Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966 * 69th Military Airlift Support Group, 8 July 1966 * 61st Military Airlift Support Wing, 1 January 1972 - 30 April 1972 * 322d Airlift Division, 1 July 1977 * Twenty-First Air Force (later 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force), 1 March 1992 * 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, 1 September 2008 – present Stations * Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, 15 October 1966 – 31 May 1972 * Ramstein AB, West Germany (later Germany), 1 July 1977 – present Subordinate Units * 10th Military Airlift Squadron, 15 March 1984 - 31 March 1991 * 58th Military Airlift Squadron, 1 August 1983 - 1 June 1992 * 608th Aerial Port Squadron, 1 August 1983 - 1 July 1992 * 608th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (later 608th Maintenance Squadron), 1 August 1983 - 1 July 1994 * 623d Air Mobility Support Squadron (later 623d Air Mobility Operations Squadron, 723d Air Mobility Squadron), 1 July 1994 – present * 625th Airlift Support Squadron (later 625th Air Mobility Support Squadron, 725th Air Mobility Squadron), 1 June 1992 - 1 September 2008 : Located at Torrejon AB, Spain. Moved to Naval Station Rota Spain * 627th Airlift Support Squadron (later 627th Air Mobility Support Squadron, 627th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, 727th Air Mobility Squadron), ca. 16 January 1993 - 1 September 2008 : Located at RAF Mildenhall, England Aircraft * C-12F, 1977–1992 * C-21, 1977–1992 * C-20, 1977–1992 * C-23A, 1977–1992 Awards and Campaigns Notes and References External links * AMC stands up new en route structure wing in Europe (accessed 24 Oct 2012) Category:Military units and formations established in 1966